1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a traveller arranged to travel along a safety line attached to a building or other structure.
2. State of the Art
Personnel are typically attached a safety line traveller by means of a safety lanyard or other connection line. The traveller permits movement of personnel along the direction of the safety line while providing a fall arrest mechanism. The arrangement of the present invention permits the traveller to be attached to, and removed from, the safety line at any point along the safety line whilst preventing the release of the safety line from the traveller while a user is connected.
Many industries require personnel to work at height, thus running the risk of injury or death from falling. Therefore, it is desirable, and often a legal requirement, to provide fall arrest safety equipment for the protection of personnel who work in elevated locations. Typically, the user is connected to a traveller which is configured move along a safety line, the safety line being anchored to a secure structure. The safety line typically takes the form of a rail, cable or track running across, around or along the area in which the user is to work.
A connection line connects the user to the traveller. This connection line (or ‘lanyard’) is typically a flexible line, such as a strap, rope or the like. which allows the user a degree of movement on either side of the safety line. One end of the lanyard is connected to the traveller while the opposing end is connected to a harness worn by the user.
As the user follows the path of the safety line, the traveller trails behind and is pulled along the safety line by the lanyard. However, in the event of a fall the traveller remains secured to the anchored safety line thus arresting the fall and preventing injury.
A number of traveller devices are known in the prior art. However, known traveller devices are typically connected to the safety line by threading one end of the safety line through a space or channel formed in the body of the traveller. Thus, it is not possible to attach the traveller to the safety line at any chosen point along the length of the safety line. This is inconvenient and time consuming, as the user must locate and move to the end of the safety line before proceeding with his work.
Furthermore, it is imperative that the traveller is connected securely to the safety line such that, in the event of a fall, the traveller remains fixed to the anchored safety line. If the traveller has not been properly connected to the safety line, or if it is able to become disconnected in some way, the fall may not be arrested.